


More Than Words

by MamaBearCat



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: But what if the past comes looking for him?, F/M, Human InuYasha, Inuyasha running from his past, Kagome is his sweet sweet future, Modern AU, Podfic Available, lots of fluff, please excuse the Aussie accent, slow start, sweet beginnings, will be violence as we learn more about Inuyasha's past
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:22:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23178409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MamaBearCat/pseuds/MamaBearCat
Summary: Inuyasha had made a new life for himself in Australia, far from his humble beginnings in Nishinari, Osaka. It was almost like he was a brand new person - as far as anyone knew, he was just a humble barista who made damn good coffee, and that's how it was going to stay. Kagome led a busy life, committed to her career as a Tender Coordinator in an NGO. She barely had time for herself, let alone getting out to meet someone. Sometimes she wondered if it was only the caffeine that kept her going.Kagome loves coffee. Inuyasha is a barista. Sounds like a match made in heaven right? Only she speaks very little Japanese, and he’s just beginning to learn English and trying to make a new life for himself without the dangerous complications of his past. It’ll take a little work, but love is more than words.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha, Miroku/Sango (InuYasha)
Comments: 86
Kudos: 105





	1. Black Dog Coffee

[MamaBearCat](https://soundcloud.com/user-455247766) · [Chapter One: Black Dog Coffee](https://soundcloud.com/user-455247766/chapter-one-black-dog-coffee)

“Please, please, please, please, _please_ Kagome!”

She looked up from her laptop to roll her eyes at the dark haired man leaning over her desk, his violet eyes beseeching, hands together as if in prayer.

“You would think by now Miroku, that you of all people would know that when a lady says no, she means no”, she said dryly, dropping her attention back to the computer screen in front of her. It was boring work, but if everything wasn’t just so, the tender documents could be rejected, and she really didn’t want to open that can of worms with her project manager.

“But Kagome”, he continued pleading. “She’s amazing, gorgeous, an angel!” His eyes misted over as he gazed off into the middle distance. “I think it’s _her_. I think I’ve finally found the love of my life.” Kagome snorted, and his eyes flicked back to hers. “You don’t believe me?” he said with a wounded expression.

“Miroku”, Kagome sighed, “you probably spoke to her for a maximum of what, two minutes, tops? And that was to order coffee. How is this girl any different from the temp secretary you took out on a date after the office Christmas party three weeks ago? Or that girl you abandoned me for last Friday night when we went out to karaoke? I’m not going to hound some poor woman minding her own business into giving you her number just because you have the unfortunate habit of falling for every pretty face you see!”

Miroku shook his head. “No, you don’t understand. This was _different_. When my fingers touched hers, it was, like, I don’t know, a spiritual connection.” He sighed, leaning against Kagome’s desk, his hand over his heart. “She owns me, body and soul.”

“Oh my god Miroku,” Kagome chortled, pushing his hip off her desk. “If you were any cheesier I’d need to run out and buy wine and crackers! You do realise that you sound like someone out of one of those trashy romance movies on daytime TV? Next you’ll be writing sonnets and saying you were struck by Cupid’s arrow.” She got up from her desk to move over to the filing cabinet, rifling through the files. “I still don’t see why I need to be involved anyway - just ask her for her number herself if you’re so desperate!”

Miroku sighed, hanging his head despondently. “I’ve been banned. By her guard dog.” Kagome looked at him questioningly. “The barista.”

“You got banned from a café by the barista? What on earth did you _do_!?” She held up her hands, the file in them covering her view of Miroku as he opened his mouth to explain. “No, don’t tell me, on second thoughts, I don’t want to know!”

“Kagome, I’m begging you! Just talk to her. If she doesn’t want to give her number to me, I’ll admit defeat. I just need to know! What if I did all your filing for the next week?”

Kagome shook her head. “No way! I’ve only just got all my files back in order from when you meddled with my stuff when I was on leave.”

“I’ll walk your dog.”

“I have a cat.”

“I’ll do your tax return for you.”

“I’d like to stay out of prison, thanks very much.”

“I’ll, I’ll… “ Miroku looked around the office, as if searching for inspiration, his eyes alighting on Kagome’s much loved pink coffee cup, sitting empty and forlorn on her desk. “I’ll buy you coffee for the next month!”

Kagome stared him. “You’re offering to buy me coffee for a whole _month_?” He nodded. “And this is whether she gives me her number or not?” Miroku nodded again. Kagome bumped the filing cabinet drawer shut with her hip, then placed the folders on her desk, turning back to him with a gleeful expression on her face.

Miroku’s face fell when he realised exactly how much that this might cost him in monetary terms. Kagome loved her coffee; she was rarely seen without her favourite coffee mug in her hand. And she did a lot of overtime, often working back late at the office, weekends too when a tender was due.

Kagome grinned even wider and slapped him on the shoulder. “Miroku, my lovestruck friend, you’ve got yourself a deal!”

☕💘☕ 

Kagome walked towards the tiny hole in the wall coffee shop a few blocks away from the office. It was literally only a door and a window wide, the exterior painted in matte black, with a white awning shading the customers waiting outside in the hot Australian summer sun. The business name adorned the glass window, a simple red circle with black text in a strong block font - Black Dog Coffee.

There was a line of people heading out the door waiting patiently, some chatting quietly, but most looking down at their phones. As she got further forward in the line, she was amused to notice that everyone followed the same pattern – a step towards the woman taking orders, stating their name and order and paying, then two steps to the left while they waited for their coffee. The woman at the cash register didn’t take another order until the first one had been filled, yet no one complained. That was kind of odd, but the line was moving fairly swiftly, so she guessed it worked, even though it wasn’t how cafés usually took their coffee orders. It was hard to see what was going on from her position in the line, stuck behind a tall guy in a business suit. She decided to look up reviews for the coffee shop online while she was waiting.

_‘This coffee is the absolute bomb, but don’t piss off the barista!’_

_‘Was recommended to me by a friend. Coffee is amazing.’_

_‘Kinda weird. They only sell coffee, roast their own beans I think. The barista is something else!’_

_‘Would wait in line all day for this coffee!!’_

_‘Worst experience ever. Got BANNED because I tried to order more than five things. And they have no food, just coffee. WTF! Pretty sure the barista was in the yakuza – that guy has tatts for days! 0/10 would recommend.’_

_‘Follow the ordering protocol and you’ll be sweet – best coffee in the downtown financial district.’_

_‘OMG – best coffee EVER! I’m now a daily customer.’_

Hmmm. She tried to peer around the tall guy in front of her, but she couldn’t see anything; the afternoon sun was reflecting off the glass covered office building nearby, getting in her eyes and making her squint. She fanned her face with her hand. Man it was hot. You could fry an egg out here on the cement. She hoped the coffee was worth the freckles she was probably getting on her nose right now. The tall guy stepped forward to make his order, and she caught a glimpse of the woman behind the cash register. 

Long glossy brown hair with thick bangs, and a bright smile. Her brown eyes, highlighted by bright pink eyeshadow, sparkled with warmth; she was giving her total attention to the current person she was engaging with. She wasn’t much taller than Kagome herself and the tight black t-shirt she was wearing with the name _Sango_ embroidered on the pocket accentuated her generous curves.

Kagome sighed. Miroku was nothing if not predictable – he loved curvy ladies. But how was she going to ask for this woman’s number without causing a disruption – everyone seemed to be on board with the ordering system, and if the coffee was as good as the reviews promised there was no _way_ she was going to get herself banned from coming back.

She glanced down to the time on her phone, and then to the opening hours printed on the tiny shop window. It was almost closing time. Maybe if she hung back for a little while and caught the woman after they’d shut up shop? She groaned internally, trying not to think of the work still waiting for her on her desk. She should have held out for _two_ months of coffee.

The tall man stepped to the side. Crap, she needed to order.

“Good afternoon ma’am. What would you like?” The woman’s smile was wide and welcoming.

“Uh, a large latte please, no sugar”, Kagome said, holding up her credit card ready to tap payment.

“Name please?”

“Kagome. That’s K – A…”

“That’s okay, I know how to spell it.” Kagome watched with interest as the woman wrote her name on the coffee lid in curving characters. Was that hirigana? She vaguely recognised it was her name being written from the two terms of Japanese she did in high school. A grunt came from her left, and she realised with a little start that she was meant to move to one side.

She stood in front of the gleaming commercial espresso machine, eyes closing as she savoured the rich coffee aroma. It smelt amazing, rich and full. Not burnt. It was a little hard to see the barista; her view was blocked by towers of takeaway coffee cups in various sizes. But those reviews that mentioned him had made her curious now. She stepped to the side a little more. Ah, there he was.

He was taller than her - she guessed she’d come up to just above his shoulder, but then she wasn’t exactly tall herself at 5’2”. He had long dark hair, looped back in a low ponytail, with a choppy fringe and slightly longer forelocks on either side of his face, tanned skin that was complemented by the white collarless t-shirt he wore under a denim apron. His expression as he looked downward to make the coffee was stern, but she didn’t see what he had to be so grumpy about. Maybe he was just hot? Maybe he just took his job very seriously? He moved out from behind the coffee machine and her eyes widened at the sight of his forearms, revealed by the shirt sleeves pushed up to his elbows. They were covered in tattoos from the wrist; dark sleeves of swirling black water flowing up his arms, broken only by pink and red cherry blossoms, with a hint of green and yellow. Then he looked up.

His _eyes_. They were hazel, for want of a better description, but such a light hazel that they almost looked golden. With the late afternoon sun behind her, lighting his face, they almost sparkled like citrine quartz. He placed the lid on her coffee, then set it down in front of her.

“Kagome.”

He’d pronounced her name right. Ka-goh-meh. She was so used to the way most Australians butchered her Japanese name, a way for her parents to honour her Japanese grandfather, that she was immune to its mispronunciation, but he’d said it just right. Just. Right. His voice was deep and a little husky. He made that small grunting noise in the back of his throat again, his strong dark brows lowering a little, and she realised in embarrassment that she was staring at him.

“Uh, yes, I’m sorry, yeah that’s me! I’m Kagome.” _Idiot. Of course he knew that, it’s not like there was anyone else standing right in front of him waiting!_ She reached out for her coffee where he’d placed it on the edge of the counter, and then backed away, pink cheeked, as another person stepped to the side to wait for their coffee.

She moved to stand in front of the shop next door, taking out her phone for something to do while she waited for closing time, slowly sipping her coffee, which was glorious by the way. But she couldn’t give herself over fully to her enjoyment of the taste, unable to control her wandering eyes.

‘ _Oh my god, he’s gorgeous! I’ve never seen anyone with eyes that colour before. And that’s so much ink on his arms - that must have hurt like a bitch! I never would have picked that a guy would get cherry blossom sleeves, but they don’t look girly on him at all - the exact opposite really. I wonder if they go all the way up his arms? God, now I’m imagining him with his shirt off - bad girl, Kagome! Maybe the cherry blossoms are a cultural thing? I think he’s Japanese, and I’m pretty sure that’s my name in hirigana on the coffee lid, but I don’t want to make an assumption just based on that and his looks. I wonder what he’s thinking about? He doesn’t look unhappy or angry exactly, just… determined? Maybe he just has resting bitch face.’_ She snorted a little at that thought, then sighed. _‘His movements are so graceful and fluid, it’s like watching someone do tai chi or something. Oh, he has such nice hands - strong fingers. I could watch him make coffee aaaaall day.’_

She gazed dreamily, sipping at her coffee slowly, the phone in her hand forgotten. Golden eyes suddenly met hers, one eyebrow raised in a puzzled expression.

__

_‘Oh shit, he’s looking this way. He’s noticed that I’m looking at him. Abort! Abort! Oh fuck… This is all your fault Miroku!’_

She turned tail and fled, almost running back to the office. The reviews had been right. The hot coffee was amazing, but the hot barista? Yeah, he was definitely something else. She knew she would be back first thing in the morning to get another coffee. And it wasn’t just because the coffee was amazing and that he was beautiful to look at. There was something about him. She wanted to get to know him better.

Miroku was waiting for her out the front of their office building. “So, did you get it?” he asked eagerly.

“What?”

“Did you get her number. Sango’s number?”

“Uh…” _Shit._ She’d been so flustered when he had suddenly looked up and met her gaze that she’d turned tail and fled without remembering why she was waiting there in the first place. Damn. Heat washed across her cheeks, and she flicked her gaze away from Miroku’s.

“Our calm and collected Kagome blushing? Oh, there must be a good story behind this – do tell!”

“No story. You’ve ordered coffee from there before – I didn’t want to do anything to upset the system and get banned like you did! There just wasn’t an opportunity today – I’ll try again tomorrow.”

Miroku poked her in the ribs. “But surely that wouldn’t make you blush Kags! C’mon, spill.”

“There’s nothing to tell!” she spluttered.

Suddenly Miroku burst out laughing. “Oh ho ho, I get it. You were so busy perving at the guard dog making the coffee that you forgot what you were there for.”

“Shut. Up.”

Miroku grinned at her. “Aw, little Kagome finally got a crush on someone. Were you struck by Cupid’s arrow?” he teased, throwing the phrase she’d used before back at her with a note of triumph in his voice. Kagome squirmed under his knowing gaze, and he chuckled. “Looks like Cupid’s been pretty busy with his arrows around that coffee shop, huh?”

Kagome made a growling noise in the back of her throat, then the corners of her lips curled up in a knowing smile. She blinked at him innocently, raising her takeaway cup.

“You may be right Miroku. You may be right. And I’m thinking the best way to get to know him will be to buy coffee. _Lots_ of coffee. I hope you’re ready to pay up, buddy!” She sipped her coffee and patted him on his suddenly slumping shoulders as she walked past him into the foyer of the building and back to her desk full of filing, savouring every last drop.

☕💘☕ 

Inuyasha pondered as he polished the already gleaming coffee maker. Sango had just left for the day, after balancing the till, and he was doing a final clean up, ensuring everything would be ready for 7am opening.

That girl. Kagome. She’d been staring at him. Usually that made him feel intensely uncomfortable. Growing up in an orphanage had internalised that being stared at was a bad thing, because pain caused by kids much larger and stronger than him usually followed close behind. That was until he’d been there so long that he was the large and strong one, handing out punches to anyone picking on the tiny ones. But he hadn’t got that uncomfortable feeling from her when she’d stared.

He knew he was considered attractive by some people. But her looking at him hadn’t given him that slimy creepy feeling that being ogled purely for looks gave him either. She had looked at him like he was a puzzle she wanted to work out.

He tried to picture her in his mind’s eye, but all he really remembered was dark shining hair like a corvid’s wing, and very blue eyes. She’d been small too, very petite. He rolled her name around in his head, as it tugged on a memory, and he suddenly thought of the rhyming game from his childhood about a bird caught in a cage. It was fitting – her mannerisms reminded him of a little bird - a wren, with bright inquisitive eyes. And when he’d looked up at her and caught her staring, she’d flapped her wings in fright and flown away. He chuckled. He hoped she wasn’t caught in a cage of some sort. No one deserved that.

He shut off the lights to the tiny shop, and walked into the studio behind it, flopping down on his bed with his laptop, ready to spend another evening struggling through his online English class. A little orange fluffball of a kitten jumped on to his lap, trying to sit on the keys, and he pushed it off.

“Shippou! Dame!”

The kitten settled down next to his thigh, snuggling against him and purring, and he turned his attention back to the screen. It was hard, learning a language this way, but he was determined. He had escaped his own cage, and he was never going back.


	2. The way to a man's heart...

[MamaBearCat](https://soundcloud.com/user-455247766) · [More Than Words - Chapter 2](https://soundcloud.com/user-455247766/more-than-words-chapter-2)

Pat… Pat pat pat pat pat…

Inuyasha grunted, blearily opening his eyes to the tiny orange fluff ball currently sitting on his chest, one paw resting against his cheekbone.

"Mew. Mew. Meoooow!"

The kitten patted him on the cheek again with his tiny paw and then flexed his needle like claws for good measure. Inuyasha's hand shot out and grabbed the tiny kitten by the scruff of the neck, shaking him very gently.

"Shippou, dame!"

He glanced over to the clock resting on the small desk that acted as his study space, dining room table and general holdall for things he didn't have room for anywhere else. 5.59am. As he watched, the numbers ticked over and a tinny sounding alarm beeped at him. Nngh. Time to get up.

Inuyasha sat up and swung his legs around, stretching both arms up above his head and groaning in relief at the satisfying pops that got the kinks out of his back. He tried to ignore the excited kitten kneading his paws on his bare thigh, but the tiny pricks of those sharp little claws made it difficult. He cracked his neck from side to side. Sometimes he wondered if sleeping on the floor would be more comfortable than the lumpy mattress he'd found on the side of the road. He knew he'd replace it eventually, but at the moment every spare cent he had was going into the business. He'd never be a millionaire as a barista, but he didn't care. He'd known poverty before, and he'd also known fame and success. Now he was content to just live one day at a time.

Inuyasha reached over to turn off the alarm, then shuffled over to the small cupboard under the sink to retrieve Shippou's cat biscuits, ignoring the kitten's plaintive mews, which became even more frantic as he shook a small handful into a blue pet bowl. As soon as he placed it on the tiled floor next to another bowl containing water the kitten immediately began eating noisily, his little paws kneading against the cold floor.

Inuyasha couldn't help but grin at him. It wasn't like he'd wanted a cat. But when he'd found the tiny orange kitten shivering near the back fence near the garbage bins, covered in dirt and fleas with his little tail caught in a tin can, he couldn't very well just leave him there. He was sorta getting used to having the little guy around. Even if he was a little shit that bit him on the ankles every time he walked in the door.

He was a mildly concerned about telling Kaede that he'd adopted a kitten – there wasn't a clause about pets on his lease, but he was hoping she wouldn't mind. She was a retired nurse - they were kind people, weren't they? And she'd already overlooked a lot of things when she'd agreed to take him on as a tenant - maybe just one more wouldn't hurt?

He popped a slice of bread in his toaster, then spread the hot toast with a lot of butter and the tiniest scraping of Vegemite. The salty taste was good for breakfast, but he'd learnt the hard way that it was better eaten in small portions. Glancing at the time, he quickly pulled on his clothes, and pulled his hair up into a loose bun, trying to ignore the overflowing laundry basket in the corner.

Sunday was laundry day, the one day that he didn't open the shop. He didn't like the laundromat, but washing it in his own sink and trying to get it all dry was worse - it dried too slowly and ended up smelling bad. He got the impression that the older woman who ran it was always trying to flirt with him, and it made him uncomfortable, but there was nowhere else within walking distance, and going somewhere on the train or bus meant extra money, so he had to put up with it for now.

Shippou had finished his breakfast, and was now contentedly sitting on the windowsill near the bed, diligently washing his face with his tiny paws. He'd been thin and bony when Inuyasha had first found him two weeks ago, frighteningly so, but now he was beginning to fill out. His orange and white striped fur was now fluffy and clean, and his green eyes sparkled with mischief. The tray of cat litter was still unused that morning, so Inuyasha turned to leave, giving Shippou a final glance.

"Be a good boy Shippou", he said, his English slow and careful. Shippou paused his ablutions to blink at him, his tongue still poking out mid lick, and Inuyasha snorted. At least he didn't have to worry too much about making a mistake practicing his English in front of his new flatmate; Shippou wasn't the best conversationalist either.

He yawned again as he jogged down the steep staircase that led from his studio to the shop, then pulled up the metal security door that covered the shopfront, letting in some cooler morning air. 6.30am. Just enough time for him to make himself a coffee before…

"Good morning!"

He turned in surprise. There was the girl from yesterday. She was leaning over, with her hands resting on her knees, panting a little, her cheeks rosy and blue eyes bright. His eyes roved appreciatively over her petite form, dressed in what was obviously her running gear – ¾ leggings, a cropped misshapen t-shirt with some unintelligible English words that showed an enticing sliver of pale skin, and bright blue running shoes.

He watched as she tugged the earbuds from her ears, shoving them in a tiny pocket in her leggings alongside her phone. Wait, what had she said again? Still half asleep, he racked his brain for the right words – it had been a greeting of some sort, he was sure.

"Hullo Kagome", he said cautiously. The smile she gifted him with as she suddenly stood upright rivaled the warmth of the summer sunrise behind her.

"You remembered my name!" He smirked at the excited wriggle she did, shuffling her feet on the footpath. "I have to know yours now!"

He blinked at her.

"Uh…" she tapped her lips with her forefinger as if thinking for a moment, then pointed to herself. "Kagome", then gestured towards him and looked at him expectantly.

He hesitated for a moment. What name should he give her? The English one that he'd been putting on all his documentation since he came to Australia, or his real name, the name he'd mostly left behind with his old life. It was doubtful she'd know it. After looking at her open friendly face for a few more moments, he came to a decision. "Inuyasha." He bowed forward a little. Kagome smiled.

"That's Japanese, right?" He nodded. "Yes, I was right!" she said with a grin, clapping her hands together. "Hajimemashite Inuyasha."

"Hajimemashite Kagome", he grinned. He breathed a sigh of relief. Another person he could speak to besides Kaede and Sango. Although, she'd said that a bit hesitantly, like she was trying to remember it. "Nihongo wo hanasemasuka?" he asked.

Kagome held up her forefinger and thumb close together, and shrugged. "Only two terms in high school. And words I picked up from anime. And the swear words Souta and I learned to tease Jiji."

Inuyasha shrugged back. From the general jist of what he'd just understood, her answer was 'not much'. He latched on to the last bit of of information though. "Jiji? Grandfather?"

Kagome beamed at him and nodded. "Uh huh. My grandfather is Japanese." An alarm beeped on her phone, and she reached into the small pocket it was wedged in. "Aw crap, I gotta run, otherwise I won't have time to have a shower before work." She tucked the phone back in her pocket and put her earbuds back in her ears. "Jā matane Inuyasha!" she called out as she jogged away.

"Yeah. See you Kagome!" he called back with a wave. He couldn't help smiling as he walked back inside the shop. That had been nice. He'd spoken English to her and she hadn't tried to correct him or tease him, just been cheerful and supportive. He moved over to the coffee machine and switched it on, ready to start his day. But he couldn't help glance up in the direction Kagome had gone. He hoped he would see her again soon.

☕💘☕

Kagome's cheeks burned with embarrassment as she jogged the few blocks back to her apartment. She'd wanted to see him again, but not dressed like _this!_ She'd only wanted to double check what time they opened to see if she'd have time to buy a coffee there on her way to work, and of course he would choose that moment to open the shop.

She groaned, internally cursing her bad luck. She'd looked a sweaty, out of breath mess and he'd looked… pretty damn delicious actually. He'd had his hair up in a bun. And his shorter sleeved t-shirt showed a little more of his toned arms and the tattoos continuing up toward his shoulders. Her stomach gave a little flip. And he'd remembered her _name_. She pushed down the urge to squeal out loud. Oh god, how old was she, fifteen? They'd only just met and already she was crushing on him like a high school girl. Get a grip woman!

She gave herself a mental shake, trying to concentrate as she turned into her street, taking smaller strides now there were more people to avoid on the footpath. She was doing this for Miroku, to see if Sango would be interested in passing on her number. Last night she'd sat down to write a small note to pass to Sango, explaining the situation and letting her know a little bit about her friend, including his mobile number. Then the rest was up to Sango. There was no way she was going to push for information; she didn't know the woman or her situation - she would pass on the message and that was it.

But there was nothing to stop her going back to the coffee shop after she'd passed on the note, was there? Miroku owed her coffee, and Inuyasha made _amazing_ coffee. She worked hard, she deserved the best right? She sighed, blushing a little again as she went over their conversation and the few Japanese words she'd remembered – she'd probably sounded terrible!

She suddenly regretted her rebellion against learning Japanese in high school – people had assumed she'd be good at it just because her grandfather was Japanese, and she'd done her best to prove them wrong, only doing enough to scrape a pass as a show of defiance. She'd been an oddity in her class at school - the only student with jet black hair and slightly slanted eyes amongst the blondes and brunettes. They'd lived in a small country town populated by people of mainly European heritage, and she'd felt her slightly Japanese features marked her as different from the other kids her age. So as a form of defense she'd tried to be as Aussie as possible, pushing back against her grandfather's attempts to teach her his language and culture. But that was in the past right? There was no reason she couldn't learn now.

She sprinted into the lobby and pushed the number for her floor in the elevator. She'd have to hurry if she wanted to make it back in time to buy coffee. Her bag was ready by the door, her outfit carefully chosen the night before. Not that she was trying to impress him or anything. She rolled her eyes at herself as she pulled off her sweaty running gear and jumped into the shower. She was totally trying to impress him.

Finally dressed and ready to go, she nearly tripped over the chubby calico cat mewing for attention, twining around her legs as she bent to pick up her bag in the hallway. She reached down to pet him a little, scratching around his ears as he squinted at her in delight.

"Sorry Buyo, gotta go! I'll give you extra scritches tonight, I promise!"

The line at the coffee shop was already out the door when Kagome arrived, and she sighed. At least she didn't have any important meetings to go to this morning – if she was a little late, she'd just make up the time later. Her hand curled around the folded note in her pocket, ready to hand to Sango. Was this a good idea? She bit her lip, beginning to second guess herself a little. She felt like she was back in school, passing notes in the playground. 'So and So wants to go out with you.' 'She says that he says that you're dropped.' Dammit Miroku. Why on earth had she agreed to do this again?

She tugged at the back of the forest green skater skirt she'd chosen to wear today. It was perhaps a teeny bit shorter than what she'd usually wear to the office, but it was summer, right? Sweat was already beginning to gather underneath the collar of her white cotton shirt, and she was glad she'd chosen to wear her dark hair up in a high ponytail to keep it off the back of her neck. The line moved quickly, and soon she was there at the front. Sango smiled at her.

"Hi, what can we get you today?" she said. Her voice was soft and sweet, her eyes warm and friendly, and Kagome could see why Miroku was smitten.

"A long black please." Sango wrote her order on the takeaway coffee lid as she pulled out her card to pay. Kagome took a deep breath and slid the folded note across the counter. Sango picked it up with a puzzled look.

"What's this?"

"A friend asked me to pass on some information to you. No pressure or anything, just read it when you're ready", said Kagome in a rush, tapping her card on the reader to pay for her coffee quickly, then stepping to the side. She watched as Sango shrugged and put the note into her back jeans pocket, ready to take the order of the next person. Kagome breathed out a sigh of relief, glad that was over. She really wasn't cut out for this kind of thing; she was sweating up a storm and her heart was beating double time. She almost squeaked out loud when she heard Inuyasha's husky voice coming from behind the coffee machine. She moved further to the side so she could see his face.

"Do you run all day Kagome?" he asked, his words slow and careful.

She looked at him with a puzzled expression for a moment, and then noticed the blush creeping onto his cheeks and the bunched muscles in his jaw, and she felt a wave of empathy. He'd realised he'd made a mistake – he'd probably meant 'every' instead of 'all'. She smiled at him and shook her head.

"I usually run at night, after work", she replied cheerfully. She pointed at the opening times on the glass window. "But today I wanted to see when you opened, so I could buy coffee before work." Her answer elicited a frown and a grunt. She watched as he popped the lid onto her takeaway container, then grabbed Sango's pen for a moment to scribble something on her lid. He slid the coffee towards her, looking at her intently for a moment.

"Be safe at night, Kagome", he said hesitantly, then turned his attention back to his next order.

Kagome picked up her coffee cup and headed off towards work with a spring in her step. It was only when she'd rounded the corner that she noticed he'd drawn a flower on the lid of her takeaway cup, similar to the many sakura flowers that patterned his own arms. She pressed her finger over the flower, a shy smile blossoming over her face, her heart rate picking up again. She didn't know if he'd meant anything by drawing it for her, but… she liked it.

☕💘☕

Kagome couldn't help but smile as she reached absentmindedly into the back of her desk drawer to find her stapler, and her fingers encountered the pile of plastic takeaway coffee cup lids instead.

Maybe it was childish, but the first time Inuyasha had drawn on her coffee lid, she'd had the sudden urge to keep it, rinsing it off as soon as she'd finished her coffee and placing it in her desk drawer at work. The next day, on a sudden impulse, she packed two of the raspberry coconut muffins she'd baked the night before for Inuyasha and Sango.

She'd gone extra early, arriving as they opened so she wouldn't hold up the line. Handing them over as she bought her coffee with a slight blush, unsure if what she was doing was weird, she'd held her breath a little, wondering what would happen. Sango had thanked her effusively, but it was Inuyasha's response that made her heart turn over. He'd immediately pounced on the paper bag, grabbing out a muffin to take a huge bite, and moaned appreciatively at the taste, his eyes closed as he chewed and swallowed the mouthful. When he'd handed over her coffee cup, there was a little muffin drawn on the lid, surrounded by a heart, and she hadn't been able to help the little giggle she'd let out, especially when he'd arched one dark eyebrow and grinned at her roguishly.

Over the past two weeks, her collection of coffee lid art had grown; flowers, cats, stars, and this morning a little dog with the kanji (which she worked out after a little bit of googling) for inu. Her baking repertoire had also increased, especially when Sango explained for Inuyasha that his little studio apartment above the coffee shop didn't have a kitchen, so he didn't get to cook.

Kagome loved baking. When she'd come home from school everyday, dragging her younger brother behind her, her mother had often been in the kitchen, baking something for them. It was almost like she was serving up a warm hug when she'd handed them a cookie or muffin, and Kagome had never forgotten that feeling. Maybe it was a bit forward of her, but she wanted to get to know Inuyasha, so until she had the words, she'd give him baked treats instead. That was how the saying went wasn't it? The way to a man's heart was through his stomach? 

She'd baked cookies, brownies and little apple pastries, but it seemed to be muffins that he liked the best. Last night she'd decided to experiment with Japanese flavours a little, and the matcha and sweet azuki bean muffins she'd handed to Sango this morning had got her best response yet – he'd actually come out from behind his counter and given her a hug, lifting her up off the ground as he squeezed his strong arms around her and spun her around, making her laugh.For a moment, she'd even thought he was going to kiss her, but he'd put her down gently and muttered a slightly embarrassed 'thank you' before going back behind his coffee machine again.

She took that lid out of her desk drawer and examined this morning's drawing with a smile - a little dog with a serious expression and one arched eyebrow, reminding her very much of the man who drew him. She sighed, replacing the lid and grabbing her stapler, tapping it on the desk in irritation. She'd been trying to get up the courage to ask him out. She'd been going to do it this morning, but every time those amber eyes met hers, she was suddenly lost for words. She was pretty sure he liked her, that hug this morning had been a little longer than strictly necessary for someone who'd given a small gift of baked goods.

She closed her eyes, imagining those strong arms around her again, imagining what might have happened had he continued to lean in. Would his lips be soft? Slightly chapped? Warm? A sudden tap on her shoulder nearly made her fling the stapler into the air in fright.

"A little jumpy today are we? I hope it's nothing more than a wicked plot to steal extra post it notes from the stationary cupboard."

Kagome whirled around and slapped her sniggering friend in the side with the back of her hand. "Miroku – don't sneak up on me like that!" He snorted.

"Believe me, there was no sneaking involved. I'd already called out your name twice."

"Oh."

"Daydreaming of burly baristas again? Why don't you just ask the guy out if you're so hung up on him?" Kagome sighed.

"It's not quite that easy. He's still learning English, and I've only just started learning Japanese again." She'd started an online course, but only had time to study on the weekends at the moment until the end of month budget was done. Miroku grinned at her.

"News just in Kagome – tonsil hockey and the horizontal tango require no words at all." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Ugh. Remind me why I'm friends with you again?"

"Because I'm an adorable scoundrel", he winked.

"Says you." She grinned at him. "Which reminds me – it's Friday – time to pay up."

Miroku groaned and reached for his back pocket, retrieving his wallet. "How many coffees this week?"

"Twenty."

"Twenty!" He stared at her, aghast. "My god Kagome, how do you not have a heart murmur or something!" he exclaimed, counting out the notes and plonking them down on the desk in front of her. "Thankfully, my dear Sango is worth it."

"Wait, she actually went out with you again? I thought you said she slapped you!"

"It was a misunderstanding", he said smoothly, "all good now." Kagome raised an eyebrow at him and he chuckled. "I'm meeting her after work tonight – going to one of her classes actually. She teaches Akido a couple of times a week." Kagome grinned at him.

"How do you know this isn't an excuse for her to take another swing at you?" she teased. But she was glad. Sango was lovely – they'd gradually been increasing their short conversations when she bought coffee when it wasn't too busy, and she seemed like someone who could be a good friend. Miroku leaned against her desk, seemingly ready for a chat.

"Apparently it's where she met Inuyasha – he goes to the same gym to spar and workout, and he'd put something on the notice board about needing an employee who spoke Japanese." He took in Kagome's slightly frazzled appearance, and the piles of paper on her desk. "Why don't you come do the class too? You've barely left your desk all day."

Kagome sighed and shook her head, stretching her arms up above her. "Too much to do", she groaned. "This has to be finished before I can leave tonight." Miroku stood, giving her a commiserating pat on the shoulder as he left her office.

"Alright, I'd better let you get back to it then. Don't let them work you too hard Kagome!"

☕💘☕

Kagome took deep breaths as she headed back towards her apartment after her run around the park, jogging a little slower now to cool down. It was late, much later than she would usually go for a run, but she knew she wouldn't sleep well if she went straight to bed after sitting at her desk all day. Maybe it was time to invest in a treadmill for nights like this? She'd been hyper alert the whole time she'd run around the park, but it had been fine – the park was well lit and she'd had no trouble. Now she was only a block from home.

She jogged on the spot as she waited for the lights to change. Nearly there. She couldn't wait to get in the shower and let the heat penetrate her tired muscles. She didn't even have time to shriek when the hard sweaty hand went over her mouth and she was dragged backwards into the alleyway.

She kicked out, trying to stomp on her attacker's feet and her own hands trying to pry away the unwanted fingers, but her soft running shoes did little, and her efforts only made the hand around her mouth tighten. She gasped as she was shoved up against the damp brick, the back of her head connecting with a solid thud. The hand over her mouth shifted downwards so that it was pushing back on her neck, the sharpness of broken fingernails digging into her skin, and her eyes widened as the light glanced off the steak knife suddenly shoved in her face.

"Money! Gimme your money!". The voice was male and agitated. She couldn't see a face in the darkness of the alley, but she could see the hand that gripped the knife was sweaty and shaking. 

"Don't have money", she managed to wheeze around the hand constricting her throat, too terrified to move. "Only my phone."

"Stupid bitch!" The hand tightened around her throat, pulling her head forward and slamming it backwards against the wall behind her again, hard enough for her to see stars. Before she could react the hand was gone, with only the sound of sprinting feet letting her know that her attacker had left.

She slumped down the wall, sliding to rest on her behind in a grimy puddle. She knew she should get up and go home, but she was shaking so much she couldn't move. Her ears were ringing a little, the back of her head was throbbing, and when she moved her hand to touch her throat, her fingers came away wet with blood. Not much, but enough to make her whimper in dismay. The thought of going back to her apartment and being alone filled her with fear. A sudden memory of strong arms holding her, lifting her, gave her strength to move. Staggering to her feet, she began to walk, then run in the direction of the coffee shop, and the man that was beginning to take up large portion of her heart.


	3. An unexpected visit

[MamaBearCat](https://soundcloud.com/user-455247766) · [MTW Chapter 3](https://soundcloud.com/user-455247766/mtw-chapter-3)

Inuyasha rubbed his eyes in frustration, leaning his elbow on his desk and pushing the laptop closed. Time for a break. English had to be the most irritating language on earth – as soon as he learnt a spelling or grammatical rule, he'd come across something that seemed to state the exact opposite. At least Japanese sentence structure was _logical_.

He stretched his arms up above his head, leaning back in his chair and glancing around his tiny apartment. Yes, it was small, but it was his. It still amazed him how stable his life seemed now, compared to how it had been not that long ago in Japan. He was living in one place, he owned a _business_ for fucks sake, and had an employee – can't get more stable than that. The orphanage and everything that had come after it was beginning to seem like a distant memory, only troubling him now and then in his dreams.

Inuyasha moved over to his sink to get a glass of water, and spied the muffin left over from this morning. Sango had let him have hers, not being the biggest fan of sticky red bean filling, and he'd saved the treat to be a study snack, wanting to bring a little bit of Kagome home with him.

He took a big bite of the muffin, savouring both the sweet filling, and the sweeter memory of the woman who'd made it for him. He knew that they still had a lot to learn about each other, but he was eager and willing – very eager. Even though the words they spoke to each other were still limited, Kagome was the sort of girl who wore her heart on her sleeve, and every emotion she felt was reflected on her face. Already she had him wrapped around her little finger; he'd do anything to see her smile. He still wasn't sure what to tell her about his past, but he'd work that out later. Right now, he just wanted to get to know her better.

He grinned, remembering her excitement when she'd handed over the brown paper bag of treats this morning. It was now his favourite part of the day, not only because she was an excellent cook, but because no one had ever gone to that kind of trouble for him before, and the emotions that played across her delicate features were as enjoyable as the baked treats she brought him. He could tell before he even looked in the bag this morning that she'd baked something special for him, wanting to make him happy, and he was surprised and delighted when he'd seen the familiar matcha green. He'd vaulted over the counter and wrapped her up in a tight hug without even thinking about it, earning him one of those adorable giggles. She'd felt so good in his arms - he'd almost kissed her as he swung her around, but had caught himself just in time.

He was still a little unsure of romance customs here in Australia. He would never have hugged a girl like that out in the open in downtown Osaka, but that seemed to be fine here in Sydney. He'd seen couples openly holding hands, flirting with each other, even kissing in the park. That was the sort of thing you did behind closed doors in Japan, and he was having a little trouble getting his head around it. He knew he wanted Kagome, but his confidence had been a little shaken by his abrupt move to a new culture.

He didn't want to embarrass her, but so far she'd seemed fine with his small displays of affection - the drawings on her coffee lids, his efforts at asking questions about her day, long looks and knowing grins, his fingertips brushing hers as he handed over her coffee. Slow. He could take things slow. It had been a while since he'd been with a woman, and if he wanted he knew there were a few establishments just a short walk away where he could have that particular type of itch taken care of. But that wasn't what he wanted. His desire at the moment was for bright blue eyes, long lean legs and a shy smile.

A sudden sharp pain in his ankle snapped him out of his reverie and he glanced down to see a small ball of orange fluff attached to his leg – Shippou had snuck up on him again. He put down his half finished muffin and picked Shippou up by the scruff of his neck, cupping his other hand under his little back legs so he was supported, and gave the tiny kitten a hard stare.

"Little shit…"

Shippou gave him a slow blink, then turned his head to ignore him completely. Inuyasha sighed, tucking Shippou into the crook of his elbow to keep him out of mischief while he checked the kitten's food and water bowls on the floor. The food bowl was empty, so Inuyasha reached into the back of his small bar fridge to find the raw chicken wings he'd bought, snapping off a small section and putting it into Shippou's bowl. The kitten nearly levitated out of his arms in his eagerness to get down, and Inuyasha plonked him on the floor in front of the chicken before Shippou's needle sharp claws came into play. 

He washed his hands at the sink, snorting at how noisily Shippou was enjoying his chicken dinner. Damn cat ate better than he did. He wandered back over to his desk with the rest of his muffin, ready to get back to work, when he heard a repetitive clanging noise down in the street below. He stuck his head out the window, ready to yell at whoever was disturbing his study time, when he saw someone huddled against the metal roller door covering the front of the shop.

"Hey!", he called out, assuming it was just some Friday night drunk who'd decided his doorstep was a good place to sleep it off, when the person tilted their head backwards to reveal a face he knew very well. He grabbed his keys and shot down the steep stairs, unlocking the door and sliding up the metal security shutter to find Kagome curled up against the door frame, a running shoe still clutched in her hand that she'd obviously been using to bang on the metal to get his attention.

"Kagome?" He squatted down next to her, trying to work out what had happened, because there was obviously something very wrong. She was wearing her running gear, knees drawn up under her chin with her arms wrapped tight around her legs, and when he reached out to gently squeeze her knee she flinched in fear. "Kagome?" he repeated in a softer tone. It was only when she lifted her head properly that he saw the bloody scratches and reddened mark marring the pale white skin of her neck.

"Fuck", he muttered, moving his hand to tilt her head slightly, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

The blue eyes that looked into his seemed even larger than usual, magnified as they filled with sudden tears.

"I'm sorry", she whispered. "I was scared. I was so scared." And then she burst into tears.

Inuyasha bundled her gently into his arms, and when she didn't protest, but buried her face into his chest and wound her fingers into the soft fabric of his t-shirt, he lifted her up, ducking under the door and nudging it back down with his foot, unwilling to put down his precious cargo. He climbed the stairs to his apartment carefully, cradling her against his chest.

He was having difficulty sorting out his emotions at the moment – she was in his arms again and it felt so right, so good. But this wasn't the way he had imagined this moment. She was upset and frightened – he could feel her whole body shaking against his, and she felt so small in his arms. He wanted to comfort her, but at the same time he find out what had happened and pummel whoever had done this – one punch is all it would take; he'd never lost a fight. But comforting her was what he needed to concentrate on right now. 

"Daijobu Kagome", he repeated over and over, keeping his voice low and steady. Walking through his open front door, he carried her over to the bed, the only place to sit in his small apartment apart from his hard wooden desk chair. Seating her gently on the mattress, he squatted on the floor next to her, keeping one hand on her upper back, stroking gently, hoping the small amount of contact would help to calm her. She was still crying, but her sobs were slowing now, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Watching her cry uncontrollably was making him feel frantic, like he was failing her somehow – he didn't know what to do, and he didn't have enough words to ask.

He watched her take deep breaths, trying to calm herself as she looked down at him, managing a small smile through her tears. Silently he reached a long arm over to his desk and managed to grab a box of tissues, holding them out to her. She took one, blowing her nose noisily.

"Kagome?"

She shrugged, her voice still shaken by the occasional hiccuping sob. "I'm okay Inuyasha. I was frightened more than anything else. He had a knife, and there was no one else around."

Inuyasha made an irritated noise borne of frustration; it was difficult for him to understand the words when she was upset. He moved over to his desk to grab his laptop and opened a translation app and handed it to her. It wouldn't be perfect, but he would be able to get an idea of what was going on faster this way. "Please. Kagome."

Her hands still shaking a little, she typed out a brief description of what had happened, and he snarled as he read over her shoulder, taking the laptop back for a moment to type. When Kagome read it, she shook her head.

"I'm okay, I don't need to go to the hospital."

Inuyasha glared at her, then gently tilted her chin up to look at her neck again. Neck injuries could be extremely dangerous, especially if there was internal swelling. She'd said she didn't lose consciousness, but still. He disappeared into the bathroom for a moment and came back with a cool wet cloth which he used to carefully wipe away the blood, his expression clearing a little when he realised the scratches and bruising weren't too bad. She didn't seem to be short of breath either, so he guessed it was okay. But she'd said she bumped her head too.

"Where?" he asked, tapping his own head. Kagome reached for his fingers and guided his hand to the back of her skull. He gingerly felt the sizable lump on the back of her head, grimacing as she hissed in pain, then went to his small fridge, retrieving a bag of frozen peas and an unused dish cloth from under the sink.

He sat down next to her on the bed and carefully held the wrapped peas over the bump, tilting her head backwards and forwards as he peered into her eyes, trying to make sure they were both evenly dilated. They seemed fine. "Ten minutes", he said, checking the time on his laptop. Kagome winced, but smiled at him gratefully.

"How do you know what to do?" she asked. "What, are you secretly a doctor or something?" He chuckled, recognising the word 'doctor'.

"No."

He didn't have the words to explain how many times he'd received a blow to the head on the underground fight circuit, and had to hold a bag of ice to his own injuries. Just because he'd never lost a fight, didn't mean he was never injured. And he still wasn't sure what to tell her about his past. It definitely wasn't a conversation for right now anyway.

Kagome relaxed against his shoulder while he held the improvised cold compress against her head. He hoped it was relieving what was probably settling into a solid throbbing headache - he wasn't sure if he had any headache pills, so this would have to do for the moment. She smiled up at him and he sighed in relief. She was going to be okay. There was still the matter of whoever had hurt her, but he knew he had to let that go. His new life in Australia depended on him meeting the requirements of his visa; he doubted beating up local thugs would endear him to the officials still handling his case. He closed his eyes, relishing the contact between them, tipping his head slightly so he could rest his cheek against her glossy dark mane of hair. The ends of her ponytail tickled his neck. He could smell the scent of whatever shampoo she used - it had a faintly nutty scent, sort of like sweet almond oil. He liked it. His cheek jolted as she made a startled movement, and she yelped in sudden surprise.

"My foot! Something bit me!"

Inuyasha made an irritated grumbling noise, handing the cold compress to Kagome, then dropping himself to the floor, his arm reaching around under the bed. He pulled out a hissing ball of orange and white fluff and shook him slightly.

"Shippou! Dame!"

Kagome was instantly all smiles.

"Oh my goodness, you have a kitten! And he's so fluffy! Kawaiiii!" She dropped the bag of peas and reached out both hands in a grabbing motion, obviously wanting a cuddle.

Inuyasha snorted and rolled his eyes as he handed Shippou over. She'd said the word 'cute' in the exact same high pitched tone that a Japanese girl would have said it. He watched her as she stroked Shippou with a pleased smile on her face, her fear and injury forgotten for the moment. Shippou immediately began kneading her leg with his little paws, then turned a circle and cuddled into her lap, purring up a storm. Kagome turned her brilliant blue eyes up to his, and he couldn't help it, he had to say it.

"Anata wa kawaī Kagome." She blinked at him.

"Did… did you just call me cute?!" He nodded, grinning, reaching forward to push a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She smiled at him shyly. "How... how do you say 'I like you' in Japanese", she said softly, her blue eyes hopeful.

He kneeled in front of her and leaned forward, so he could almost whisper in her ear, feeling her shiver a little as he breathed against her neck. Oh, he liked that little shiver. He wanted to make her do it again. He deepened his voice, so it bordered on a purr. "Anatagasuki Kagome."

She leaned her cheek against his, rubbing against his face. "Anatagasuki Inuyasha. Very much!"

He moved his head slightly to place a soft kiss against her cheek, then drew back a little to judge her expression – he very much wanted to kiss her properly, press his lips against hers and find out if her sweet mouth tasted as good as he thought it would, but she'd just been through something terrifying. He sighed, leaning back a little. Maybe he should back off for now. But she didn't let him move away, closing the gap between them herself with a determined look in her eyes, firmly pressing her lips against his own. He hardly noticed Shippou leaping off Kagome's lap in disgust.

One small soft kiss - a taste that wasn't nearly enough. And then another.

"Is this okay?" Kagome whispered. leaning her forehead against his. "I haven't kissed anyone in a long time - I might be bad at this. But I want to kiss you Inuyasha! I want..." He reached up to press a finger against her lips.

"Kagome, shhh."

He lowered his lips to hers again, teasing her with the edge of his tongue, cupping her chin with a soft touch of his fingers, and she sighed, opening up for him. He teased her more, running his tongue under her top lip, then grazing along those little white teeth. She let out a soft, breathless little moan in the back of her throat and he couldn't hold himself back any longer, sealing his mouth over hers, abandoning himself to feeling the softness of her lips, the warmth of her breath, relishing the wet heat of her tongue against his. His hand moved into her hair, to adjust the angle of her head to pull her closer and she whined as he unthinkingly pressed his fingers against the bump on her head.

"Sorry, sorry, Kagome, gomen'nasai", he murmured, his forehead against hers, drifting feather light touches to soothe over where he'd accidentally hurt, then reaching for the bag of peas again. He held it there gently as he stroked her cheek with his other hand, then leaned back a little so he could look at her face again, smiling.

"What?" she said. She was still panting a little from their kisses, her lips now stained a slightly darker pink from his attentions.

He rubbed his thumb against her lips. "Word?"

"Do you mean what is the word for this?" she said, tapping her fore finger against his mouth, then giggling a little as he kissed it gently. "You could say mouth, or lips."

"Soft lips", he murmured, stroking hers again, then grinning as she gently nipped the meat of his thumb with her little white teeth. He moved his hand upwards and stroked near her eye. "Word?"

"Eyes", she whispered, unable to take her own off his.

"Pretty eyes."

"That's not fair, I don't know enough Japanese to tell you anything", she pouted, placing her palm against his cheek. "But I'm going to learn Inuyasha. I want to be able to tell you what an amazing, thoughtful, sexy man you are." Inuyasha snorted. He'd definitely understood at least one word she'd said.

"Sexy, huh?" he grinned toothily, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh yes", she purred, stroking her fingers down his cheek. "Very sexy." She leaned forward, placing her lips against the hard line of his jaw, and he closed his eyes, better to concentrate on the feel of those soft warm lips. He opened them again at the sound of her badly disguised yawn. She pulled back, blinking at him blearily. "I'm sorry. It's been a very long day."

"Tired?" he asked. She nodded. It was obvious she'd reached her limit. He still wanted to know more about why she'd been out so late at night, but she seemed exhausted. It could wait until tomorrow. It could all wait until tomorrow. He wasn't going to let her go anywhere else tonight, especially with that head injury - he was pretty sure she was fine, but he needed to be able to check on her. She would be safe here with him - he just had to convince her of that.

Inuyasha turned on the little lamp next to his bed, and moved over to the main light switch near the door, flicking it off. He sat down on the bed, propping up against the pillows so he was sitting up a little, then patted his chest. "Here."

Kagome gave him a pleased smile. "You want me to stay?"

He nodded. "Stay." He crooked his finger and beckoned her forward, then patted his chest again. "Here, Kagome."

He watched as she kicked off her remaining shoe, then crawled up the bed, snuggling into his side and resting her head on his chest. "Thank you so much Inuyasha. I didn't want to go home by myself." She closed her eyes, and he smiled down at her, watching as she snuggled against him as he gently pulled out the hairband that held her ponytail, then carded his fingers through the loosened curls. He reached out his arm to switch off the light.

"Goodnight Inuyasha", she whispered. He curled his arm around her shoulders, dropping a kiss to the top of her head, and settled himself down against the pillows.

"Goodnight Kagome."


	4. Home

A sound had woken her, and for a moment she had no idea where she was, or what was going on. Then she heard it again, a shaking sound, like a box of cereal.

Kagome blinked herself awake. She could see Inuyasha standing a few feet away, lit by a shaft of early morning sunlight peeking through heavy curtains. His back was to her, and he was standing at what seemed to be a kitchen bench, pouring cat biscuits into a little bowl. She stared at him groggily as she tried to make sense of things, a headache pulsing away in the background making it difficult for her to think.

He was wearing the same t-shirt he had on yesterday, and a pair of soft grey boxer shorts, sitting low on his hips. She watched as he filled up another little bowl with water, then bent to place them both on a little mat on the floor. A tiny kitten sized ginger streak appeared out of nowhere, planting his tiny face directly into the little ceramic dish containing the cat biscuits. Shippou began eating his breakfast with gusto, making little sounds of appreciation as he chewed. Inuyasha snorted as he watched the tiny kitten, his face still turned away from her. His long dark hair was in a low ponytail, but looked untidy, like he hadn’t had a chance to brush out the tangles yet. He’d obviously just woken up. Was this his place?

Then everything that had happened the night before came back with a rush. A man’s face shadowed by a hood, his voice guttural as he demanded money, the glint of street lights on a knife, a strong hand squeezing around her throat. Overwhelming fear. And then running here on pure adrenaline, that fear giving her feet wings. Inuyasha cradling her in his strong arms, caring for her, _kissing_ her. She sat up unsteadily, and Inuyasha instantly moved to her side.

“Kagome.” His voice was quiet, and he sat down next to her on the bed, leaving a small amount of space between them. He looked pleased to see her awake, but also a little uncertain. “Good morning.”

She smiled at him shyly. “Good morning Inuyasha. Thank you for letting me stay last night.”

“How is…” he grunted in irritation, then began again. “Kagome, are you well?”

She nodded, then grimaced a little, the background headache that had been lingering suddenly pulsing as she moved her head. Inuyasha reached out towards her, his amber eyes filled with concern. She closed her eyes and let his hand take the weight of her aching head. His fingers passed gently over where the back of her head had smacked into the wall last night, his touch featherlight.

“I’m okay Inuyasha, just a little headache. I feel fine.”

He ignored her protest, moving his fingers down to her chin, pushing upwards gently until she bared her throat to him. He made a grumbling noise in the back of his throat.

“Stay”, he said, his eyes full of concern. She gave him a small smile, brushing her fingers over his and taking his hand and squeezing it.

“Inuyasha, as much as I’d like to, I really can’t. I need to go home and feed my cat. I definitely need to have a shower and get changed out of these sweaty jogging clothes - I probably smell bad.” She lifted the front of her t-shirt to her face, sniffing it and wrinkling her nose, “In fact I know I smell bad”, she joked, trying to lighten the mood.

He shook his head, his expression stern. “Stay.”

She watched as Inuyasha walked over to his desk and retrieved his mobile phone to make a call, speaking at length in Japanese, his eyes constantly flicking over to her and then away again. She caught her name mentioned a few times, so he was obviously talking about her with whoever was on the other end of the line. Was he speaking to Sango? Her eyes widened in surprise when he suddenly thrust the phone at her, indicating she should talk.

“Uh, hello?” she said uncertainly, taking the phone from him.

“Good morning Kagome. Inuyasha tells me you had a very interesting evening last night, and that he’s worried about you.” The voice was warm and friendly, but it was definitely _not_ Sango. It sounded like an older woman, a voice that she didn’t recognise at all.

“Um…” She looked at Inuyasha trying to show her confusion with her expression, but he just nodded and pointed at the phone.

“My name is Kaede. I’m Inuyasha’s landlady, but I was also a nurse until I retired a year ago. He wants you to tell me about your symptoms, so we can work out if he needs to take you to your doctor for a checkup this morning.”

“Oh, okay.” She rolled her eyes at Inuyasha and gave him a ‘really?’ expression, but he just crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her. Kagome huffed out a sigh – he obviously wasn’t going to budge on this, so she decided she may as well go along with it. “Well, I think I’m fine? I have a headache, but it’s not the worst one I’ve ever had.”

“Did you lose consciousness at any time during or after your injury? Any clear fluid or bleeding from your ears, or bruising behind your ears?”

“No?”

“What about your balance. Do you have any ringing in your ears? Can you walk around the room without feeling dizzy?”

Kagome stood up and walked over to the desk and back, Inuyasha hovering behind her like a mother hen.

“No dizziness, I feel fine.”

“No blurred vision, no weakness anywhere else, like in your arms or legs?”

“Nope?”

“Inuyasha says you have bruising and scratches on your throat. Any difficulty swallowing? Any pain when breathing?”

Kagome’s hand reached up to trace over her neck, and Inuyasha glowered.

“I haven’t seen the bruises myself, but I can swallow fine.”

“Well, based on your answers, I think you’re right - it sounds like you should be fine. And a headache is to be expected if you’ve taken a hard knock. But if it suddenly gets worse, or any of the other things I mentioned start happening, you should definitely go see a doctor. For today, I think all that’s needed is for you to relax and take it easy. Take some ibuprofen to help with the pain and swelling. Inuyasha can go get some for you.”

“Oh, but…”

“He’s also asked me to tell you that he wants you to stay at his flat until he finishes work this afternoon, and then he’ll walk you home. He’s a good man Kagome, very trustworthy despite his looks, and he seems to care a lot about you. Why not humour him, just for today, hmmm?” The voice was warm and soothing, very motherly, but also firm.

“I guess…”

“Good girl. Put Inuyasha back on for me.”

There was another conversation in Japanese, a little heated on Inuyasha’s side, and then he hung up the phone, grumbling to himself.

A loud rattling noise followed by screeching metal came from the shop downstairs, and Kagome jumped, a little startled. They heard Sango’s voice drifting up from below.

“Kon'nichiwa Inuyasha? Daijōbudesuka?”[1]

“Koko ni kite, Sango”[2], Inuyasha called out, and they heard her quick footsteps on the stairs.

“Hey”, she said poking her head around the door, then she saw Kagome. At first she grinned, raising her eyebrows at their rumpled appearence, and then her eyes widened as she took a closer look. She was by Kagome’s side in a moment, her eyes drawn to Kagome’s neck.

“What… oh my god Kagome, what happened to you?!”

Kagome shrugged. “I got mugged when I was out jogging last night. It happens.” Now that it was daylight, she didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, in fact she wanted to forget all about it.

They all heard a confused call of ‘ _hello, are you open?_ ’ from downstairs. Inuyasha glanced down at his grey boxer shorts and wrinkled t-shirt and tugged on the hem of the shirt, as if that would get rid of the creases.

“Right”, said Sango in a business like manner. She pointed at Inuyasha “You – shower.” Inuyasha opened his mouth as if he was going to argue, then rolled his eyes and shrugged as Sango continued to point in the direction of the bathroom. She turned to Kagome as Inuyasha grabbed clean clothes from the chest of drawers next to his unmade bed. “Kagome, you - sit. I’ll deal with the customers until Inuyasha is ready, and then we can talk about what happened later.”

“But I-“

“No buts. Sit down”, Sango said, with the air of someone who was used to having her instructions followed. She waited until Kagome sat down on the edge of the bed, then raced back down the stairs.

Kagome could just hear her talking to a customer over the sound of Inuyasha starting the shower. With a sigh, she slumped down on Inuyasha’s bed, closing her eyes against the thumping in her head. She placed her forearm over her eyes, trying to block out the daylight now filling the small room.

Last night, when she’d gone to sleep she’d been so happy, despite her terror prior to arriving at Inuyasha’s flat. He’d kissed her, said she had pretty eyes, asked her to stay. But since they’d woken up, he hadn’t said _anything_ about the kiss, so she hadn’t said anything either. Now she was second guessing everything. What if he’d just felt sorry for her last night and she’d made assumptions about where this… connection… was headed? She sat up again when Inuyasha came out of the small bathroom with steam billowing out behind him, fully dressed in black jeans and a red t-shirt, his damp ponytail clinging to his neck.

“That must have been the shortest shower in history”, Kagome joked, offering him a small smile. She did her best to look cheerful, even though she felt anything but. Perhaps she should just go home, despite what Inuyasha had said. She was a big girl. She’d been taking care of herself for quite a while now. “You’d better get downstairs to work, everyone will be waiting for you.”

He sat down next to her on the bed and looked at her seriously. She blinked, unsure of what he was going to say. He huffed out a breath, reaching out to stroked her cheek, his eyes roving over her face.

“Kagome”, he said softly, “hataraku nakute ikenee, suman - hontoni zutto soba ni itaindaga...”[3] His thumb grazed over her lip, stroking the soft skin, and Kagome shivered. “Itaino no itaino kisu shite tondeke.”[4]

He leaned in, his palm cradling her cheek, and pressed his lips to hers, the kiss soft, a gentle goodbye. She could taste toothpaste on his bottom lip, and without thinking she swept her tongue along the slightly chapped skin, licking at the corner of his mouth. He pulled back in surprise and then grinned at the mischevous look on her face, his light hazel eyes approving.

“Yancha koneko…”[5]

His kissed her again, firmer this time, his mouth slanting across hers and she couldn’t help the small moan of need in the back of her throat, her arms winding around his neck to bring him closer. All her doubts vanished, burned away by the heat of his kiss, his tongue teasing hers, encouraging her to kiss him back. Then his mouth left hers and she almost whimpered in dismay, until he began placing tiny lingering kisses down her neck where she assumed the bruises were. She shivered at the contact, her fingers winding into his dark hair.

“Inuyaashaa!”

The tone of Sango’s voice echoing up the stairs was loud and determined, giving the impression that perhaps it wasn’t the first time she’d called out. Inuyasha rested his forehead on Kagome’s shoulder, slumping his shoulders and sighing.

“Fuck.”

Kagome kissed the top of his head with a disappointed sigh of her own.

“Yes please.”

She giggled a little as his head snapped up in surprise. He blinked at her, his expression unsure, and she realised he’d heard what she’d said but was worried he might have misunderstood, so she winked at him, her gaze teasing. He chuckled.

“Bad girl”, he said huskily, rubbing his nose against hers.

“Sukebe Inu”[6], she crooned back, and he laughed out loud, kissing the tip of her nose. She pushed him on his shoulder, grinning.

“Go on, go, before Sango akido’s your ass.”

He got up with a sigh, and moved to the chest of drawers next to his bed, getting her a pair of his gym shorts with a drawstring waist and a clean t-shirt. He grabbed a clean towel from a cupboard near the bathroom, and placed them all on the bed next to her.

“Shower. Rest.” he said, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, then sprinted down the stairs, taking them a couple at a time as Sango’s voice echoed petulantly up the stairs again.

After that, Kagome couldn’t stop smiling. She made Inuyasha’s bed, then moved into the bathroom, more than ready to get out of her crumpled running gear and get clean.

Her reflection in the mirror of the small bathroom cabinet made her pause for a moment. The dark fingerprint sized bruises were clear on her neck, along with the scratches of her attackers fingernails and probably her own where she’d tried to pull his hands away. There were a few bloodstains around the collar of her t-shirt that she probably wouldn’t be able to get out. But then she took a deep breath, nodding at her reflection. She was okay. That was last night, and now she was safe. Today was a whole new day.

Kagome stripped off, welcoming the heat of the shower, washing her body and her hair using Inuyasha’s bath products, and immediately feeling all the better for it. She put a small amount of toothpaste on her finger and rubbed over her teeth; not quite a brush, but better than nothing. After she’d towelled off, braiding her damp hair and dressing herself in Inuyasha’s shorts and t-shirt, she snorted at her reflection in the fogged up mirror. She looked ridiculous; both the shorts and t-shirt came down to almost cover her knees.

Seeing a bottle of laundry detergent sitting on the bathroom floor next to the vanity, she decided Inuyasha probably wouldn’t mind if she borrowed a small amount to wash her underwear. She washed and rinsed her bra and panties in the bathroom sink, squeezing out as much water as she could by hand then draped them over the shower rail, hoping that they would be mostly dry by the time she had to venture outside again.

Even though the shower had helped, her head was still thumping. She decided she would lay down again for a little while. She could hear voices downstairs, the hiss of the coffee machine, the regular beeping of the eftpos machine and till, the occasional jingle of coins. Inuyasha and Sango were probably dealing with the morning rush, so just closing her eyes for a few moments while they were busy would be okay.

When she woke again, there was a glass of water sitting next to the bed on the chest of drawers, along with a box of ibuprofen, and a toasted cheese and ham croissant. After taking a couple of tablets and eating, she lay down again, waiting for the medication to begin working. She’d go downstairs soon and thank whoever had got the food for her. Her eyes closed all by themselves.

The sound of laptop keys clacking woke her. Inuyasha was sitting at his desk, and the sunlight in the room had the deep glow of afternoon. Kagome sat up and rubbed her eyes.

“Crap, I’m sorry Inuyasha. What time is it?” she asked sleepily.

Inuyasha turned sideways in his chair. He smiled at her, seemingly not worried that she’d spent all day sleeping in his flat while he worked. “Afternoon. Shop is closed.” He glanced at his computer screen. “4.48pm.”

“Eeep! Buyo is going to be so upset with me!” Kagome got up quickly and went into the bathroom, splashing her face with cold water. Her bra and panties were still a little damp, but she decided she’d rather wear them than go outside without them and got changed into them quickly, putting Inuyasha’s clothes back on over the top.

“Who is Buyo?” asked Inuyasha as she emerged from the bathroom in a rush, clutching her dirty clothes and rummaging in the pocket of her leggings for her keys.

“My cat”, she said in a distracted voice, “he doesn’t like being hungry. And if he’s upset he tends to pee on the carpet.” She looked around for her shoes, then spotted them lined up at the end of Inuyasha’s bed. She sat down, pulling the shoes onto her feet without socks. “I should be fine to walk home by myself Inuyasha, I’m feeling much better.”

He shook his head, sliding his own feet into his shoes where they were sitting under his desk. “I am coming.” He snagged her hand as she stood and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her, and she squeaked in surprise.

“Missed you, yancha koneko.” She giggled as he tucked his nose into her neck, blowing a small raspberry on the soft skin there.

“I’m sorry I slept all day Inuyasha”, she said softly.

He shook his head. “Good for you.”

She smiled. “I guess it was, my headache is gone now. But we really need to go.”

They walked slowly back to her apartment, moving aside to allow Saturday afternoon shoppers and harassed looking people with places to go to pass them by. Kagome reached out casually, taking his hand and entwining their fingers. She watched shyly as Inuyasha glanced down at their hands, and then looked around them to see if anyone was paying attention, then back to her. He grinned at her widely, squeezing her fingers with his. He didn’t relinquish her hand until they were standing outside the door to her apartment.

“What are you doing tomorrow Inuyasha?” she asked. She really wanted to see him again, but if he was busy…

He made a disgusted face. “Koinrandorī.[7]” She blinked at him. He tried again, slowing the word down. “Koin randori”, and pointed at her dirty clothes. “Wash.” Her face cleared.

“Laundromat! You need to wash your clothes?” He nodded, glad she’d understood.

She tugged on his sleeve excitedly. “Don’t waste your money on that – come here! You can use my washing machine! I’ll make breakfast!”

Kagome squealed as he suddenly picked her up off the ground and hugged her tightly.

“Kagome! Thank you!”

She giggled at the look on his face. “So you really don’t like the laundromat huh?”

He shook his head emphatically. “Do not like…” he tried the word she’d used, knowing he’d have trouble with that first sound, but uncaring, because it was Kagome, “randoromat.”

“Okay, it’s a date then!” she smiled.

“I will bring coffee”, he said carefully, and she smiled even wider. They were interupted by the sound of frantic scratching on the door behind them, interspersed with plaintive mewing sounds. Kagome groaned.

“I have to-“, she pointed at the door behind her.

He nodded and leaned in for a quick kiss, and then another, and then one final lingering press of his lips. “Good night Kagome” he smiled. “See you.”

“See you tomorrow”, she agreed. “8am.” She watched as he jogged down the stairs, then turned to open her door. Buyo rubbed himself frantically against her legs as she stepped inside, closing her front door behind her. She picked him up, rubbing her cheek against his, and walked straight into the kitchen where his food was kept.

“Sorry I’m late baby”, she crooned apologetically, smiling at the deep vibrating purr. “Mama had an interesting day.”

* * *

Inuyasha looked with a puzzled expression at Kagome’s washing machine. It was a lot more complex than the one he’d used previously at the laundromat – those just required coins and a push of a button to begin washing. Start was easy, because he recognised the icon for pause/play, but there were all these other buttons. He poked at one hesitantly, and grimaced when it made a blooping noise. “Kagome?”

“What is it Inu?” she called back from the kitchen, raising her voice over the sizzling sound of cooking. She’d been busy making breakfast when he arrived, and he’d decided to get his washing out of the way quickly so he could go watch her. She obviously loved to cook; he could hear her humming songs under her breath as she cooked whatever was on the stove.

“Kagome”, he called, “how… uh… feh”, he grunted, putting down the washing detergent and just going to the kitchen himself.

She was busy flipping pancakes, all her attention on the frypan. He couldn’t help but grin at the way she was dancing on the spot, that cute rounded peach of hers just out of sight in her shortie pyjamas, swaying in time with whatever she was singing. He was seriously hoping this Sunday arrangement would become a regular thing, especially if it meant he caught her wearing outfits like this. He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

“Is everything okay?” she giggled, rubbing her cheek against his affectionately. “Do you need to borrow some of my detergent? I have plenty.”

“No, I buy detergent. Button?” he asked, hoping she would understand.

“Oh, sure.” Kagome lifted the pancake pan away from the heat and switched off the gas so the batter wouldn’t burn while she helped him with his predicament. He followed close behind her as she walked to the desk in her bedroom first, grabbing a pen and a post-it-note from the drawer, then out onto the balcony where the tiny laundry room was. He watched as she drew pictures of the buttons and then numbered them in kanji, so he would know what order to press them.

“Very good”, he praised, rubbing her shoulder.

She grinned at him. “Thank you. I only know up to five off by heart; I have to look at the others.

“Sorry”, he said, gesturing towards the buttons on the washing machine.

“No worries, it’s fine”, she smiled. “If we were in Tokyo and I was looking at a Japanese washing machine, I’m sure I’d need to ask for help too. Was yours back home a lot different from this one?”

He shook his head. “No machine.”

“Oh, did you use the laundromat there too?”

“Sometimes. Not many.” He sighed, and looked at her, his mouth straightened in an expression of frustration. He shrugged.

“Hey, it’s okay, we’ll get there.” She wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tight. “How about you do your washing and I’ll finish making breakfast, and then we’ll go for a walk. I’ll teach you some English words and you can teach me some Japanese words.”

He hugged her back, dropping a small kiss to the top of her head, then released her with a smile. “Okay.”

When he’d finished loading the washing machine and set it to a warm wash cycle, the sound of running water indicating his success, he walked back into the kitchen to see Kagome flipping the last pancake.

“It’s such a nice morning! Should we sit out on the balcony to eat?” she said, pointing towards the small table and chairs.

He nodded, grabbing the plates, cups, knifes and forks she’d set out already, along with the thermos of black coffee he’d brought with him, and took them out to the tiny table on Kagome’s balcony. He poured himself a cup of coffee, then sat down to wait for her.

There wasn’t a great view from her balcony, mostly other apartment blocks and a busy side street, but if you stood on a chair and leaned way out you could see the big clock tower at Central station. He grinned, remembering Kagome’s shrieks of dismay when he’d done that when she gave him the tour earlier.

Her place was nice. A bedroom with a walk in closet, bathroom, a lounge room which led onto a small balcony with a laundry room, and a kitchen with a little eating area. He sat sipping his coffee, watching the traffic and listening to the more muted sounds of a Sunday in the city.

Buyo wound his way around Inuyasha’s legs, purring loudly. They had made friends quickly when he’d arrived, and he already liked the fluffy calico cat. He reminded him a little of Japanese cats he’d seen on the street in Osaka, with short stumpy legs, and black and tan markings colouring his cream body.

“Hullo Buyo”, he said, reaching down to scratch the calico behind his furry ears. As soon as he sat back up, Buyo jumped up on to his lap. “Hey fat cat.”

Kagome laughed as she walked through the open glass sliding door, carrying the stack of pancakes and the maple syrup.

“What did you just call my cat?”

He grinned at her, lifting Buyo up under his front legs to reveal the cream coloured fur on his rounded stomach. Buyo purred even louder.

“Shippou is a little shit. Buyo is a fat cat. Better.”

Kagome sniggered, sitting down at the table. “Better? Because he’s a healthier weight or because he doesn’t bite you.”

“Both.”

He poured Kagome’s coffee, then watched hungrily as she moved a stack of pancakes onto his plate. He poured a steady stream of syrup over his pancakes and dug in eagerly.

“Mmm, s’good Kagome!”

“Yokatta – wait, is that right?” She sighed, sitting down to begin her own breakfast. “So many different ways to say ‘you’re welcome’ in Japanese.” She giggled as he gave her an emphatic thumbs up, his mouth too full to answer with words. He swallowed.

“Is correct. Yokatta means”, he scrunched up one eye, while thinking for the English words he wanted, “you are happy for me to like it.”

“Did you eat pancakes for breakfast in Japan, or is that not a thing there?” asked Kagome, still smiling at him.

A sudden memory of the sparse breakfasts of his childhood came to mind. And afterwards, he was usually too hung over or injured from his fights the night before to eat. He shook the memories away, not wanting to spoil the happy sunny atmosphere at the table. Kagome put down her knife and fork, a worried expression on her face.

“Oh, I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?”

Inuyasha sighed, not noticing how hard his fists gripped his own knife and fork. “Kagome… I want to forget Japan. I want to be here. I want to live here. A new home, not-” he stopped as she reached out to touch his hand, stroking her fingers gently over his knuckles until his tight grip relaxed.

“Was it really bad, the life you left behind in Japan?”

“Yes.”

“Okay then”, she smiled. “I’ll stop asking questions. I understand wanting to leave the past behind and try something new to get away from painful memories. It’s one of the reasons I moved to this city too.” He put down his fork to squeeze her fingers gently.

“Thank you, Kagome.”

They resumed their breakfast, Kagome looking thoughtfully out past the buildings surrounding them, into the intense blue sky and bright sunshine. Then she smiled at him, a full beaming grin that crinkled up her eyes, and his heart thudded. She was so beautiful when she smiled at him like that. Not just her appearance, but the pure emotion behind the smile, aimed right at him.

“I’ve got an idea!” she squealed excitedly. “We’ll finish tidying up and hang your washing on the drying rack, and then I’m going to take you to a fun place. I’m gonna help you make some amazing memories Inuyasha!”

He leaned across the table, his hands leaning either side of her plate, and kissed her, joyful teasing kisses. He couldn’t help it. He didn’t have the words to tell her how happy she made him, but he knew this would get the idea across. She giggled as he licked at a stray spot of syrup on the corner of her mouth.

The pedestal table rocked a little with his uneven weight, and Kagome squealed, her hands moving to the edges to hold it steady. He sat down again, laughing at her.

“Behave!”

“Why?” he said, laughing again at the sudden blush turning her cheeks rosy. 

She made a grumbling noise, then sat sipping her coffee, looking out at the sunlight bouncing off the windows of the other high rise apartments surrounding them. He grinned as he finished his own pancake. They would make today a good day, together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My heartfelt thanks go to @britonell on Tumblr for her help with my faltering Japanese!
> 
> [1] “Hello, Inuyasha? Are you okay?  
> [2] “Come up here Sango.”  
> [3] “I’m sorry I have to work Kagome - I really want to stay with you…”  
> [4] “Pain, pain, fly away with a kiss” (the Japanese version of ‘kiss it better’)  
> [5] “Naughty kitten…”  
> [6] Sukebe means lewd, but in this context you could perhaps say ‘dirty dog’  
> [7] An english loanword – literally ‘coin laundry’


End file.
